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NCAA FBS Oversight Committee makes common-sense bowl recommendation

By Daniel Morrison | Last updated Mar 20, 2026 3:02 PM ET

The NCAA FBS Oversight Committee announced a series of recommendations on Friday. That includes an interesting potential change surrounding bowl eligibility.

As it stands now, teams reclassifying from FCS to FBS are not bowl eligible until their second season at the FBS level. Now, the Oversight Committee has shared a potential rule change, which would modify the deserving team rule, allowing them to go to a bowl immediately if they're at least 6-6 by record.

"The oversight committee introduced legislation to modify exceptions to the deserving team rule, which determines the requirements that teams need to satisfy to be able to be selected to participate in a bowl game, beginning with the 2026 season. Under the recommendation, schools reclassifying from FCS to FBS would be eligible to compete in bowl games if they meet the definition of a deserving team (e.g., at least a 6-6 record) and can fill one of their conference's bowl commitments," the statement read.

"Currently, teams that are reclassifying from FCS to FBS are not eligible to compete in postseason bowl games until their second year of reclassification and may be selected as an alternate only if they otherwise meet the definition of a deserving team and there are not enough deserving teams available to participate in that season's bowl games."

This would be a common-sense rule change

Ultimately, this would be a common-sense rule change for FBS football. After all, if a team is competing at FBS and it wins enough games to get bowl eligible, then why should those players be punished for being new?

The initial logic behind the rule was that it would prevent teams from jumping up recklessly and disincentivize the move. But, with teams moving up nearly every year now, it clearly isn't slowing the upward flow.

In recent seasons, several teams making the jump to FBS have missed out on bowls in seasons in which they would have otherwise qualified. That includes 2022 James Madison, winners of the Sun Belt East, and App State in 2014.

Despite the rule, in 2025, Delaware and Missouri State were able to qualify for bowls despite it being those schools' first FBS seasons. That's because not enough teams were bowl-eligible. Delaware went on to win the 68 Ventures Bowl while Missouri State lost the Xbox Bowl.

What's next for the rule change?

The change is not yet official. If approved, it is expected to be in place for the 2026 season, directly impacting North Dakota State and Sacramento State.

Before that happens, though, the Oversight Committee will receive member feedback on the proposal. It will "act on" that feedback during a May 7 meeting. Assuming it's approved there, then the action is subject to review by the Division I Cabinet before becoming effective. The Cabinet is going to review that action in June.

Daniel Morrison

Dan Morrison is a writer originally from Massachusetts, now residing in Florida. He spent four years at On3, working on the National News Desk there. Prior to that, he’s also contributed at Underdog Dynasty.

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